Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) is one of the receptor type tyrosine kinases belonging to an insulin receptor family (Non-Patent Document Nos. 1 and 2). It is reported that gene alteration of ALK causes production of abnormal kinase fused with other gene.
Examples of the disorders accompanied with ALK abnormality include cancer and cancer metastasis (Non-Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 1), depression and cognitive function disorder (Non-Patent Document 2). Thus, an inhibitor for ALK will provide pharmaceuticals that are effective for treatment and prevention of the disorders.
Such pharmaceuticals are required to be developed in the form of orally administrable formulation. However, propriety of development of an orally administrable formulation depends on the level of bioavailability of a pharmaceutical compound. As a factor which affects bioavailability, water solubility of a pharmaceutical compound can be considered. In general, when a compound which is poorly water-soluble or insoluble in water is orally administered, it shows poor bioavailability. Improving an oral absorbability by increasing the bioavailability of an active ingredient is also important in terms of obtaining stable exhibition of pharmaceutical effect of the active ingredient. Patent Document 2 discloses a composition which comprises a poorly water-soluble ingredient such as steroids, sodium lauryl sulfate and an organic polymer for improving solubility and oral absorbability of a poorly water-soluble ingredient, that is obtained by wet granulation in the presence of water.
Until now, for example, tricyclic compounds (Patent Document 2) or the like have been reported as an ALK inhibiting substance.
However, the tetracyclic compounds that are represented by the following Formula (I) or salts thereof are not described in any document.
Meanwhile, ellipticine derivatives are known as tetracyclic compound (Non-Patent Document 3).
Although the tetracyclic compounds used in the present invention have an excellent ALK inhibitory activity, due to their poorly water-soluble or insoluble property in water, further studies have been needed to develop them in the form of orally administrable formulation.